United Front
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Regina and Emma are living together and Emma finds a lump in Regina's breast. She wants Regina to check it out but she won't at first but Emma makes her and it is cancer. Emma looks after her until she gets better - Regina fan


_Regina and Emma are living together and Emma finds a lump in Regina's breast. She wants Regina to check it out but she won't at first but Emma makes her and it is cancer. Emma looks after her until she gets better - Regina fan_

_Thanks for the prompt. I don't know too much about cancer so I apologise for any inaccuracies. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Established SQ. Hope you like it :) _

Emma smiles as the sound of the shower wakes her. She lifts her head from her pillow before an idea springs to mind. She grins before checking they have enough time for work. _Yes!_ Emma cheers to herself upon seeing that they do. She quickly sheds her tank top and boy shorts before wandering into the bathroom.

Her smile grows wider as she hears Regina singing to herself. She pads silently across the tiled floor before slipping into the shower. She turns Regina around before kissing her. Regina grins broadly as she wraps her arms around the blonde, "So you heard the shower?" she asks with a wink.

Emma nods before kissing Regina again. Her hands trail down Regina's body as they kiss. Her fingers quickly find Regina's breasts and Emma freezes. She frowns before feeling the wet flesh there. Something's different.

Regina frowns noticing as Emma stops kissing her. She notices as Emma's gaze shifts from a lustful one. She can feel panic rising in her. "Emma what's wrong?" she asks.

"How long has this been here?" Emma asks as she feels the small lump.

Regina's frown only deepens before her fingers slide down to where Emma's are. She feels the area feeling a small lump there. She shrugs, "I don't know."

The answer only terrifies Emma further. It could be nothing she reminds herself, but it could be something worse.

Both women forget about the idea of shower sex, the mood now effectively lost as Emma looks at her full of concern.

"Regina promise me you'll see a doctor," Emma says seriously. She knows Regina hates doctors but this time she will drag the brunette down if she has to.

Regina holds Emma's gaze. She won't deny that the lump worries her too but the thought of the doctor terrifies her even more.

Both women can only think one thing.

_What if it isn't nothing?_

* * *

Emma sits at her desk trying to focus on her work but she can't. All she can think of is Regina and whether or not she did go to the doctor. She knows what Regina is afraid of. She's afraid of bad news.

What's terrifying Emma is the uncertainty. She needs to know if something is wrong or not. If there isn't it means they can both be relieved. If there is it means they can deal with it and they can do something. Not knowing, however, just leaves Emma in knots.

Regina comes into the office looking as anxious as Emma is. Emma stands immediately before rushing over to her girlfriend. "Did you go?" she asks.

Regina shakes her head and Emma frowns. "Regina please you have to get checked out."

"I know," Regina says, "I know. But, every time I picked up that phone I couldn't do it. Emma, what if something's wrong?"

Emma takes Regina's hands reassuringly, "If there is then we deal with it. We fight it together but Regina we have to know. If you don't get it checked and it is something then it will only get worse. I can't bear the thought of losing you Regina so I need you to get it checked. Please."

Regina nods, "Okay. Come with me please."

"Always," Emma promises, "You're not going to be alone, ever."

* * *

Regina and Emma sit in the chairs in the doctor's office waiting for him to return. Regina stares straight ahead, her face slightly pale with fear and an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. Emma, beside her, keeps her eyes on Regina. She looks fine. Emma hopes she stays that way.

Both of them hate being in this office and the wait is only making them worry more.

Emma squeezes Regina's hand softly, "Not alone," she whispers again and Regina smiles at the sign of support. Emma being here helps a great deal. She has faced a great many foes and vanquished so many threats but on most of those occasions she was alone. Now she has Emma and Henry and a family and she has learned to lean on them when she needs them. Now that she has received their love she can't face things alone because she doesn't want to. Her strength is in her love.

Finally the specialist comes back in.

He looks at them both with a sad smile and Emma knows what he's going to say before the words come out.

"Regina, I've looked at your results and I'm afraid they've revealed you do have cancer in your breast."

At that Regina's breath catches. She can feel tears brimming in her eyes but she wills them to stop. It's what she feared it would be. _Cancer_. The word rings in her ears as she stills. She never thought one word could shake her so badly. She's heard stories and seen tales on television but it's nothing compared to hearing the news in person.

Her blood runs cold as she thinks of the people she loves. Emma. Henry. Even Snow and Charming and Neal. Her heart clenches as she thinks of her family. She fought so hard to get to this stage, to get her happy ending. She cannot lose it now.

Not like this.

Beside her Emma gulps back the lump in her throat. She takes a deep breath reminding herself to believe, to have hope. She feels so helpless. She's meant to be the saviour but she can do nothing here. All she can do is sit back and watch as others do the saving. All she can do is watch and wait.

She cannot lose Regina.

She knows that with all her heart. She feared that the worst would come. She feared it as soon as she saw that lump. She just hoped her fears would not come true. Now it has she knows she needs to be strong. She won't lose Regina now that they're finally happy. She will do everything she can to make sure Regina beats this.

"What are we looking at?" Emma asks breaking the silence the doctor had allowed them as the pair digested the news.

He smiles hopefully, "We're lucky in that you've come in so early. Your cancer is currently at Stage Two. I'm recommending surgery to remove the tumour in your breast followed by chemotherapy."

"What's the prognosis? Is she going to be okay?" Emma asks. She just needs Regina to be okay.

He frowns, "We'll see how the surgery goes but I am hopeful that with the chemotherapy you will beat this Regina."

She looks up at those words, "How soon can you do the surgery?" she asks. The news still feels somewhat surreal to her. For a few moments she hopes that maybe there was a mix-up or the tests were wrong but then he carried on talking about treatment. _Cancer_. The word alone frightens her but she cannot let it beat her. She has to fight.

The doctor schedules the surgery for the next week and hands them several leaflets about dealing with cancer and tells them to come in in a few days for more tests.

Neither says much as he talks.

When they leave Regina and Emma give him polite nods before heading to the car. As they sit in the Bug Regina lets her tears fall.

"Cancer," she repeats sadly as Emma hugs her tightly.

"You're going to beat it," Emma promises, "You will."

Regina pulls back, "Emma it's cancer."

"I know," Emma says feeling her own tears start rolling down her cheeks, "But you can't give up Regina. You can fight this and you will and I promise you that every step of the way I will be by your side. You have to fight this Regina."

Regina nods through a sob as she clings to Emma, "I don't want to leave you and Henry," she whispers.

Emma lets out a sob at those words. She hates the thought of that possibility. She simply holds Regina closer to her, "Then don't."

* * *

For the first few weeks they decide not to tell anyone deciding not to burden their family with this unless they have to. They want Henry to live his life as carefree as he can. Right now he has friends and school and clubs and he's happy. Neither of them want to threaten that.

She has her surgery on the quiet. Only the doctors, nurses and Emma know. They tell Henry they're going away for a couple of days and send him to his grandparents. For the entire two days Emma sits by Regina's bedside and they wait for the news.

They both sob in relief when the doctor tells them they removed the tumour. They still want to do chemotherapy to remove any trace of the cancer. He tells them he's confident and they share in his strength praying his confidence will save her.

It's after the first round of chemo that they realise they won't be able to hide the truth for too long. She loses her appetite. Nausea kicks in throughout the day and it's harder to come up with excuses. They find covers claiming a flu bug or a stomach virus but they can tell he's suspicious. They still try to keep it quiet.

Then one morning Emma finds Regina sobbing in their room. She runs over worriedly. "What is it? Are you feeling sick? Feverish?" she asks hoping there's no infection or other illness to worry about.

Regina shakes her head before pointing to their pillow. On it are several thick tufts of long brown hair. It had felt surreal until that moment. Staring at that pillow and seeing her own hair it hit Regina hard. It meant that she really was sick. That this was really happening to her. Reality crashed down on her and she couldn't contain her sobs. "Emma it's falling out," she cries.

Emma frowns sadly before taking Regina through to the bathroom. She pulls out the shaver they had from Henry's old haircuts. Emma holds one of Regina's hands while she cuts off the rest of her brown curls with the other. Regina would rather lose the hair at Emma's hand then because of the chemo.

When it's done Emma kisses Regina's head and then her lips before pulling back, "You're still the most gorgeous woman in the world."

Regina chuckles before kissing Emma back, "I'm sure that's not true," she says a little sadly.

"It is for me," Emma replies.

Regina gulps, "We'll have to tell people now."

"I know," Emma says. "I know. We'll tell them and we'll beat it."

"We will," Regina promises, "As long as you're here I know I'll be okay."

Emma smiles, "Then it's a good thing I'm always going to be here."

* * *

Months whizz by in a blur of chemo and weeks when Regina feels like her old self. She looks forward to the breaks from chemo. She knows the therapy is defeating the cancer but it always makes her feel so sick. In the weeks without it she can be with her family. She can go out into the town and go food shopping or to Granny's. She can go out on picnics or movie nights with Emma. She can go to Henry's baseball games.

She can feel like herself and not a sick person.

The first day of chemo is always the worst for her because it reminds her of the disease hitting her body. It reminds her of what there is to fight and the dread that it may not be beaten.

Her strength though is in Emma. Throughout it all Emma has been there. She's been by her side through the pain and the sickness and it's all made Regina treasure Emma's love more. When this is over with she is going to marry Emma. No more wasting time. She doesn't want to do that anymore, not when life can change so fast. No, when this is done she's going to finally propose and they'll have their happy ending.

She smiles as Emma comes into the chemo room carrying her laptop, blanket and various other things.

Emma sits down next to her before setting up the computer. She takes Regina's hand, "What movie today?"

* * *

Snow is the one to find Emma in the station crying. They've all seen how strong Emma has been but to be honest Snow has been waiting for this moment. Emma may be the saviour. She may be strong but she's still human and the person she loves is still sick.

She walks across the office before pulling Emma into a hug, "It's okay," she says, "Just let it out."

They sit there as Emma sobs and cries for an hour. Snow shushes her and rocks her and lets her daughter cry the way she needs to. They're all there to support Regina but they're here for Emma too. She knows the women are each other's strength but she also knows that Emma puts on her brave face for Regina.

Emma's cries eventually stop and she looks at her mother, "Thank you," she says quietly.

"Anytime," Snow promises, "it's okay to not always be strong."

"Regina needs me," Emma replies.

"She does but you can still be afraid. She'll understand that. You're each other's safe places Emma. You're her strength but she's yours. It's okay to not be brave all the time. Sometimes Emma you need to cry."

Emma nods hugging her mother, "She started her final round of chemo."

"Surely that's good?"

"It is but part of me just can't help but think what if it isn't over? What if we go through all this and she's still sick?" Emma asks voicing her worst fear. "I can't lose her."

"And you won't," Snow says confidently, "Regina's strong and so are you. You can't live on what ifs Emma. Just wait and hope. I know it hurts and that you hate feeling helpless but all you can do is hope sometimes. If it's not over then we keep fighting. All of us together. Regina is our family Emma and she's not leaving us without a fight."

Emma chuckles, "Once you're in you're always in?"

"Something like that," Snow replies.

* * *

Emma and Regina sit in the now too familiar doctor's office holding hands as they always do. Regina finished chemo a few weeks ago and had screening and tests done a few days ago. They've been waiting on tenterhooks to find out if they've beaten this, if Regina will be okay and they can go back to happy ending, not just moments but all the time.

"How are you feeling?" Emma asks nervously. Her free hand taps against her leg as they wait.

Regina smiles hopefully, "I'm feeling okay." She runs her hand up over the scarf wrapped around her head. She wears wigs occasionally but finds they irritate her scalp. What she really wants is her hair back. She's hoping for good news. She feels good. She hopes her feeling is correct. She needs it to be.

The doctor comes in greeting them warmly. Seven months ago they were strangers. Now they're all closer than they ever thought they would be before all of this.

"Don't keep us hanging doc," Emma says smiling to try and lighten the tension.

He smiles at them both, "I wouldn't keep you waiting for this news. Regina I've looked at your latest blood work and scans and you're in remission."

Emma grins surprising the doctor by hugging him before turning to her wife and giving the woman a loving kiss. She can see happy tears running down Regina's cheeks and she knows her own tears are falling too.

The doctor smiles again before adding, "We'd like you to come back in six months for testing and screen-ups and of course if you feel something's wrong but otherwise you're in the clear Regina."

She stands before hugging him too, "Thank you," she says warmly.

He smiles, "I wish all my cases turned out this way. Now go live your life."

"I will," she promises before grabbing Emma's hand.

They walk out of the hospital and Emma whirls Regina around happily. "You did it," she says joyfully kissing Regina again, "You did it."

Regina shakes her head, "We did it. Without you I don't know how I would have done this. You were here all the time and I will love you forever for it."

"I will always be here Regina. I love you, forever and always," Emma replies gazing lovingly at the other woman.

Regina smiles taking Emma's hand, "Marry me. I don't want to waste any time Emma. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I love you and you are my happy ending. Let's get our happy ending Emma."

Emma grins kissing Emma sweetly, "Yes. Of course. We're going to have a long happy life Regina and we're going to live it together."

_Thanks for reading :) _


End file.
